Suction cleaner



June 30, 1942. DAIGER 2,287,867

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 23, 1940 INVENTOR George I? Dazlqer ATTORNEYS Patented June 30, 1942 SUCTION CLEANER George P. Daiger, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a cornotation of Ohio Application February 23, 1940, Serial No. 320,358

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners and more particularlyto an improved dirt or filter bag assembly including a mufller interposed between theexhaust outlet from the cleaner body and the inlet to the filter bag.

As the name suggests, a muffler is an element intended to reduce in a large measure the noise emanating from the exhaust outlet and attending the passage of air through the fan chamber. One of the most satisfactory mufiiers is the tubular sleeve of sponge rubber of generous thickness, having a length anywhere from 6 to 10 inches and an internal diameter equal to or slightly larger than the mean diameter of the exhaust outlet from the fan chamber. Without going into a lengthy discussion of the acoustical properties of such a muffler, it is sufficient to point out that the sponge rubber with its surface of cellular texture exposed to the air discharged from the exhaust outlet has the property of absorbing an appreciable volume of the noise and to that extent contributes to greater quietness of operation in a degree well justifying the added expense of including the mufiler in the cleaner assembly.

Bearing in mind, however, that the dirt or filter bag is ordinarily supported beneath and by the handle and that the latter has pivotal connection with the cleaner body to swing freely in a vertical direction during the forward or rear-.

ward movement of the cleaner over the carpet surface, the mufiler must be flexible in order to flex with the bag and prevent the latter from giving way under the strain within acomparatively short time.

It is therefore with the idea of eliminating the disadvantages that otherwise might arise from the presence of a mufiier that the present improved arrangement of bag and muffler mounting has been devised.

A preferred embodiment of this arrangement is disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a general view in side elevation of a suction cleaner disclosing a satisfactory arrangement wherein the muffler, with a filter bag attached at the outer end thereof, isenclosed within an outer envelope;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of the muffler with its bag attaching clamp as it ap-,

pears in longitudinal section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view in longithe mufiier and showing the details of the clamping ring mounting;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the outer end portion of the muffler with the inlet end of the dirt bag clamped thereto; and

Figure 5 is across sectional view through the mufiler as taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4 and showtudinal section through the outer end portion of 55 ing the details of the clamping ring in its clamping position.

In its general aspects, the cleaner herein disclosed may represent any one of several standard makes of portable, handle-maneuvered suction cleaners, and consists of a wheeled body or casing I having a nozzle extending across its forward end with its suction mouth in close proximity to the carpet surface, and a motor-driven fan rotating at high speed within a fan chamber communicating with the nozzle and having a rearwardly facing outlet connection to which a dirt bag or some suitable intermediate connecting fixture has detachable mounting. A handle 2 has pivotal connection with the cleaner body and during normal cleaning operation the handle extends rearwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the floor level and at the same time is free to swing upwardly and downwardly as the cleaner body is maneuvered over the carpet being cleaned.

Referring to the improved bag and mufller assembly herein disclosed, the member having immediate connection with the exhaust outlet from the cleaner body is a mufiler supporting fitting 3 having a collar or flange 3a at its lower end and designed to bear flush against the flanged outlet connection 4 of the cleaner body and to be fastened thereto by means of a pair of clamping bolts 5, one on each side. The main part of the fitting 3 is a short tube forming an extension of the exhaust passage from the fan chamber and extends outwardlyand upwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the horizontal. At

its outer end the fitting 3 is provided with a collar 3b of increased diameter forming an outwardly facing flanged seat for the lower end of the muffler element 6 which extends therebeyond concealed beneath the outer covering sheet 6b as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Before proceeding *with the discussion of the muflier construction, it might be well to point out that while the muffler is inherently flexible throughout its length, it is preferred to stiffen the muflier slightly by the coiled wire I so as to avoid the possibility of excessive distortion such as might result in kinking and consequent obstruction of the otherwise free passage of the airther ethrough.

Now, as clearly shown in Figure 2, the base of the muffler fits snugly within the flanged seat 32) or envelope |0,later to be described in greater detail, but which for the present may be regarded as a support for the filter bag having detachable connection at its upper end with the upper end portion of the handle 2 through an extensible V connecting member in the form of a coil spring The inner filter bag 9 is fashioned with a restricted neck portion 8a at its lower end but sufficiently large to slip over the outer end of the muifller..the latter having a flange at its outer extremity covered with a metallic protecting ring I2.

As a suitable means of securing the neck portion ofthe filter bag 9 to the outer end of the muflier, a simple form of clamp is provided, the same surrounding the outer end of the muffler immediately inwardly beyond the flanged outer end. The clamp consists primarily of a length of stiff wire l3 encircling themuiller and operating after the manner of a slip noose formed by a loop l3a at one end. Thenoose-like clamping ring is contracted and expanded by means of a toggle lever ll pivotally supported at a distance circumferentially removed from the loop Ila by forming a loop or single turn l3b inthe body of the wire ring I3 and inserting a pin I! through the loop to form the pivot for the clamping lever ll, as clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5. Beyond the pivoted end of the clamping lever II is another pin Ila which forms an anchor for the other or free end of the flexible wire ring l3, so

that by swinging the clamping lever ll from left to right, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the clamping ring is expanded by the looseningof the noose-like arrangement and, by throwing the lever over to the left, the ring is contracted.

1 Thus, if the lower end or neck portion of the filter bag 8 is inserted over the end ofthe muf fier and within the clamping ring it, the manipulation of the clamping lever I in the manner indicated will securely fasten the fllter bag to the muffler.

a To complete the mounting of the wire clamping ring it, threeflexible U-shaped fingers it are spaced at intervals around the end of the 'muflier and act to support the clamping ring in a concentric relation to the muilier and more particularly to the outer surface of a ring I! of flexible material surrounding the muilier just beyond its flanged end and forming a resilient seat against which the neck portion of the bag is strength clamped by the contractible wire ring l3. These supporting fingers Hi consist of flexible metal strips bent in U-shape with their free ends extended toward the outer end of the muffler and their extremities looped around the wire ring I! loosely to permit the latter to slide as it is contracted and expanded. The base portions of these fingers are suitably anchored as by welding to a metal band l8 lying just beneath the resilient band H, or as integral parts thereof.

Referring now to the outer envelope III, the

same is preferably made of a light porous fabric serving primarily to conceal the filter bag 9 as well as the muffler 6 and its mounting fixture 3.. Thus, as clearly shown in Figure 1, the lower end of the envelope III is clamped around the flanged portion 3a of the attaching fitting so that no part of the fitting beyond or the muilier is exposed.

At frequent intervals during the operation of the cleaner the filter bag must be removed and either emptied of its contents, or a new bag installed in its place. Hence, the outer envelope is made so that it will open along its underside and throughout its entire length as by means of a zipper type of fastening. By this arrangement, the filter bag becomes readily accessible for emptying and replacement or renewal, as the case may be.

But regardless of whether the filter bag 9 is concealed within an outer and separate envelope I0 or is suspended directly from the handle at its upper end by the samemeans which supports the outer envelope, a certain degree of flexing movement is continually going on throughout the length of the mufller and theneck portion of the filter bag as the handle swings upwardly and downwardly during the maneuvering of the cleaner over the carpet surface. Obviously then, if the muilier were of a rigid construction the flexing would take place at the juncture of the filter ba and it would very likely rupture within a comparatively short time, thus necessitating the replacement of the entire bag. However, by constructing the muffler in such a manner that it is uniformly flexible throughout its entire length, it is. possible for the filter bag and the muflier to flex together with the swinging movement of the handle and thus relieve the bagof the excessive strain which otherwise would lead to premature failure. On the other hand it is desirable that the muflier be sufficiently stiff to provide a firm support for the lower end of the filter bag but not so flexible that it is likely to kink when it is subjected to an extreme degree of flexing, as for instance, when the handle is swung upwardly into a vertical position. It is for this reason that it may be desirable to reinforce the mulliei' lengthwise by wrapping it with the coil wire or treating it in someother manner to bring about the same eilect.

Having set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, but without any desireto limit it' to the precise disclosure herein, I claim:

1. A bag-mounting muiiler adapted to be attached to the exhaust outlet of a suction cleaner, comprising a tubular member of resilient flexible sound-absorbing material reinforced throughout its length by a length of wire wound in the form of a helix, whereby said tubular member is prevented from collapsing upon fiexure within its length, a fitting attached to one end of said tubular member for connection with the exhaust outlet from said cleaner, and a contractible clamping ring surrounding the outer end of said tubular member for the attachment of a filter bag thereto.

2. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including an exhaust outlet, a handle pivotally connected to said body, and a bag supported at its upper end from said handle and angularly movable thereby, a flexible bag-supporting muflier comprising a fitting removably connected to said exhaust outlet, 9. flexible tubular member of sound-absorbing material carried by said fitting and interiorly connected therethrough to said exhaust outlet, means restricting flexure of said tubular member to a maximum sufllcient to prevent collapse thereof internally, and bag-retaining means supported at the outer end of said tubular member and removably seating said bag, whereby the bag is movably connected to the cleaner body exhaust outlet.

3. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including an exhaust outlet, a handle pivotally connected to said body, a bag supported at its upper end from said handle and angularly movable thereby, and a flexible bag-mounting muiiler comprising a fitting removably connected to said exhaust outlet, a flexible tubular member of sound-absorbing material carried by said fitting and interiorly connected therethrough to said exhaust outlet, bag-seating-and-clamping means at the outer end of said tubular member removably seating'said bag, and flexible means reinforcing said tubular member between said fitting and said bagseating-and-clamping means to enable it to support a bag at said bag-seatingand-clamping means and to restrict flexure of said tubular member to-a maximum sufllcient to prevent collapse thereof internally, whereby said bag is movably connected to said body.

4. In a suction cleaner of the type having a body including an exhaust outlet, a handle piv-,

otally connected to said body, and a bag supported at its upper end from said handle and angularly movable thereby, a bag-mounting mufiler including a tubular airconducting body flexible throughout its entire length, means at one end of said tubular body connecting it to said exhaust outlet, means at the other end of said tubular body connecting it to said bag, characterized in that said mufller supports the lower end of said bag for movement relative to the exhaust outlet upon pivotal movement of the cleaner handle.

5. In a sound-absorbing mufller for attachment to the exhaust outlet of a suction cleaner and toa cleaner dust bag and to be flexed upon the movement of the cleaner bag in cleaner operation, a fitting adapted to seat upon a cleaner exhaust outlet, a flexible hollow tubular member of sound-absorbing material of a type restraining sliding contact adapted to convey dirt-laden air, carried at one end by said fitting, and extended freely therefrom, a smooth-surfaced rigid protecting collar enclosing the outer end of said tubular member and forming a guide to direct a bag mouth to enclosing relationship with said tubular member, and manually operable bag clamp encircling said tubular member adjacent said collar adapted to receive and clamp a bag to said member.

6. In a sound-absorbing muiiler for attachment to the exhaust outlet of a suction cleaner and to a cleaner dust bag and to be flexed upon the movement of the cleaner bag in cleaner operation, a fitting adapted to seat upon a cleaner exhaust outlet, a flexible hollow tubular member oi! sound-absorbing material of a type restraining sliding contact adapted to convey dirt-laden air, carried at one end by said fitting and extended freely therefrom, a smooth-surfaced protecting collar enclosing the outer endof said tubular member and forming a guide to direct a bag mouth to enclosing relationship with said tubular member. a manually operable bag clamp encircling said tubular member adjacent said collar adapted to receive and clamp a, bag to said member, and a helical wire encircling said tubular body between said fitting and said clamp to prevent collapse of said tubular member internally upon excessive flexure.

GEORGE P. DAIGER 

